1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to percussion instruments, and, in specific embodiments, to drums having improved weight properties.
2. Related Art
Typically, a drum includes a shell (or body) with a head (or membrane) placed over one or more ends of the shell. An outer peripheral edge of the head is held against the shell with a hoop. The hoop is clamped to the shell with bolts or the like along the axial direction of the shell. Accordingly, the head is stretched and a specified tensile force can be applied to the head.
Other drums include additional hardware (e.g., lugs) attached to an outer peripheral edge of the shell to allow the hoop member to be clamped accordingly. However, drums that include such hardware do not allow the shell of the drum to vibrate as easily as other drums, thus affecting the volume and timbre of the drum.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication (Kokai) Number S59-69794 eliminates the use of lugs along the outer peripheral surface of the shell of the drum by including a ring placed around the shell. The ring has a diameter that is roughly equal to a diameter of the shell and is placed around a bottom end of the shell. The outer periphery of the ring includes a plurality of pipe-shaped nuts extending from the ring. A clamping bolt is fastened through the hoop into the pipe-shaped nuts to screw the hoop to the pipe-shaped nuts. As such, the head is stretched and a tensile force is applied to the head.
However, in such a configuration, a large force acts on the portion on which the pipe-shaped nuts are supported. This bends or stretches the portion rendering the application of the tensile force to the head impossible. To prevent this, the ring and the portion on which the pipe-shaped nuts are supported must be strong and not likely to break. Specifically, the portion on which the pipe-shaped nuts are supported requires a large mechanical strength. Accordingly, the mass of the ring and the portion on which the pipe-shaped nuts are supported must be large, which increases the weight of the drum.